Having dark walls can make any space feel closed in or cave-like. Many steer away from dark colored interiors to make their room feel more inviting and welcoming. Dark colors can be daunting if there are no great sources for light. Adding natural light, beautiful light fixtures, or the contrast of light flooring with dark walls could make dark interiors feel welcoming. Natural Lighting Natural lighting can save a dark room. Consider using natural lighting if available to light up the room. Whether it is through windows, skylights, translucent materials such as flooring, ceiling panels, or even glass block walls. Letting natural light into a dark colored room will help the colors read more inviting. Natural Lighting will allow for the coordination of shades of dark textiles and finishes with lighter ones. Sheers or lightweight and light colored drapery on windows permit natural light to pour in, but control harsh glares when the sun is bright. Add Color Another way to achieve great lighting is to play off of adjacent colors when decorating. Choose colors that are bright, and your interior space will feel playful, and casual. Orange and yellow make great textile colors for sofas, throw pillows and window treatments. Reflections Use reflective or glossy dark materials, instead of matte-finished ones to emphasize the light. Glossy ceramic tiled walls, glass shower doors, wall mirrors, and chrome or stainless steel plumbing fixtures can bring sparkle and brighten your dark colored bathroom. High Contrast Instead of having full walls colored with dark finishes, have a chair rail or wainscot accent with dark color below, and a lighter color above. This...

The U.S. Department of Energy has awarded Philips with the L prize for it’s 60-watt equivalent LED light bulb. The L prize is the first government sponsored technology competition with the intent of promoting the development of high-quality, high-efficiency, solid state lighting products to replace the standard 60 watt incandescent lamp. The stringent process contained standards relating to light output (measured in lumens), color-temperature (measured in degrees Kelvin), and lifetime. In particular, the entrants needed to emit 900 lumens of light, consume less than 10watts of energy, and be rated for over 25,000 hours of life. The bulbs then went through over 18 months of testing for performance, durability, and consistency. “The L Prize challenges the best and brightest minds in the U.S. lighting industry to make the technological leaps forward that can greatly reduce the money we spend to light our homes and businesses each year,” said Energy Secretary Steven Chu. “Not only does the L Prize challenge innovative companies like Philips to make LED technology even more energy efficient, it also spurs the lighting industry to make LEDs affordable for American families.” “We looked at the L Prize challenge as an opportunity to innovate and develop an energy efficient alternative to a product that has remained largely unchanged for over a century,” said Zia Eftekhar, CEO of Philips Lighting North America. “The fact that we are the first and only company capable of submitting a product and completing 18 months of rigorous testing not only underscores our commitment to innovation and quality, it highlights our ability to bring meaningful leading technologies into the mainstream.” – Department of Energy Thomas...

Flush mount lighting is a great way to redecorate a room. There are thousands of designs to consider, but most can be installed in a similar fashion listed below. For more detail on how to install a specific light fixture, consult the manufacturer’s instructions if available. For high-end lighting you may wish to have a professional install the fixture to prevent damage to the lighting. Things you will need: Screwdriver Wire nut Wire Strippers 1. Turn off the circuit you will be working on. It is never a good idea to work on an electrical project with the power on. 2. Remove the old fixture, if there is one. If not, pull the wiring out of the electrical box and straighten the wires. Strip 5/8 inch of insulation from the ends. 3. On a flat surface, measure the height of fixture. Adjust the threaded tube in the mounting strap to that length plus 1/8 inches. 4. Remove the screws from the electrical box in the ceiling, if present. Attach the mounting strap and threaded tube. Attach the ground wire to the green screw on the mounting strap. 5. Holding the fixture up to the electrical box, wrap the black wire to the black wire and the white wire to the white wire. Use the wire nut to join the wires. 6. Place the retaining washer over the threaded tube and thread the retaining nut over the tube until the fixture is snug against the ceiling. Some fixtures may use screws that attach to the electrical box. 7. Install light bulbs and install any decorative glass or accents as needed....

Throughout China and Asian cultures paper lanterns (also known as rice paper lights, paper lamps, Chinese paper lighting) have long been symbols of joy and celebration. Created from a superb combination of oiled paper stretched on wood or bamboo frames, this creatively designed lighting piece was originally used in joyous celebrations such as weddings, births, birthdays and even festivals. Throughout my lifetime I have seen these decorative yet delicately balanced lamps/lanterns used throughout all kinds of cultures and environments. From college dorm rooms to fancy restaurants and of course festivals. However, not all believe that these great lighting fixtures resemble happiness. Some are under the impression that these are cheaply made items that bother their environmental ambiance. Oh but on the contrary these happy lights have a history dating all the way back to the Tang Dynasty (618 A.D to 907 A.D.) First put into play by an emperor that had envisioned the construction of 30 enormous lantern towers at 1,500 feet high and then decorated with precious gems including silver, gold and jade. The lantern experiment was such a success that the tradition continued on and expanded into a wide variety of lighting including silk and rice paper lanterns of all shapes and colors....